Drum roll please…  After an online vote against steep competition, Charlottesville, Virginia has been selected to be the host of the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference to be held July 22-24.  Coming off a successful 2010 conference in Walla Walla, Washington, the selection of Virginia is a win for local wine and demonstrates the growth and maturity of the other 46 states.  Selection is based on a wide variety of factors including geographic diversity, strong wine community, eager local partners and most important, your vote.

Conference registration is already open to the public.  The cost of the conference is $95 for citizen wine bloggers (those unaffiliated with a business or organization), $195 for industry wine bloggers (those whose blog is affiliated with a winery, retail store, or other business or organization), and $295 for non-blogger participants (industry, media relations professionals, friends and family, etc).

A special thank you to the many who voted and to the Virginia Wine Board, Virginia Tourism, the WBC, and last but certainly not least, Charlottesville, Virginia, the birthplace of American wine.  Cheers!

Click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!

A few weeks prior to the DrinkLocalWine.com conference, a few of us tossed around the idea of a Twitter Tweet-Up in Virginia.  Jennifer Breaux Blosser, Director of Sales and Hospitality at Breaux Vineyards, jumped on board and rolled out the red carpet for our small group this past Saturday.  Anyone who follows my blog, knows I’m a big fan of Breaux Vineyards (read more here) and I always plan a visit when I’m in Virginia.  The 404 acre estate has over 100 acres planted in 18 different grape varieties, making it one of the largest growers in the region, and a popular venue for events and gatherings.

Breaux Vineyards DLW10 Tweet-Up

Our group was treated to a behind the scenes tour of the bottling room and barrel tastings courtesy of the winemaker, Dave Collins.  The 2007 Malbec and Petit Verdot blend impressed (a future Cellar Club release), with it’s balance of tannin and fruit.  We then made our way to the tasting counter to sample the current selections of white wines.  The 2008 Viognier and Barrel Select Chardonnay scored high on my tasting sheet along with the Syrah Rosé with it’s strawberry and cranberry notes.

After our tasting, we headed back to the barrel room for a tasting of Breaux reds paired alongside a fabulous lunch prepared by Grandale Farm Restaurant.  And if that wasn’t enough, we were joined by Paul Breaux, President and CEO of Breaux Vineyards.  We chatted about the history of the vineyard and winery along with his vision for the future.  Easily the highlight of my visit.  And what about those reds?  My favorite Virginia wine, the 2002 Reserve Merlot, took first place followed by the earthy, 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Elegant and reserved, a beauty drinking fabulously well.  The surprise of the tasting, the 2001 Nebbiolo, was a favorite around the table (I regret not reserving a spot for the Nebbiolo vertical tasting that same day).

What makes Breaux so special, aside from the great wine, is the people. From top to bottom, the team welcomed us and made our Twitter Tweet-Up an event to remember.  Bravo Breaux!

Click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!

The DrinkLocalWine.com conference festivities kicked off with an informal gathering of wine writers at Lansdowne Resort to enjoy a tasting of wines from the other 47 states.  Hosted by Dezel Quillen at On The Potomac, we each brought an assortment of wines from New York, Texas, Colorado, Maryland, Hawaii, Utah, North Carolina, and Virginia, the focus of the weekend.  An impressive lineup of 25 plus wines were poured throughout the night paired alongside an assortment of local cheeses and charcuterie including house-made Pan Seared Duck Foie Gras and Chorizo Sausage and Creamy Polenta.

There were 4 standouts on my tasting sheet amongst a solid lineup.  Highlights included the Lenz 2001 Estate Merlot with its earthiness, leather, and black cherry notes, followed by the herbaceous, varietal correct Windham 2004 Cabernet Franc (winery is now named Doukénie Winery).  The New York Cork Report White Wine of the Year, the Billsboro 2008 Riesling impressed all, while the Glen Manor 2008 Sauvignon Blanc displayed the potential of the variety in the state.  Honorable mentions included the Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay, Brennan Vineyards Viognier, and the Benmarl Baco Noir.  New York and Virginia definitely represented!

The tasting proved to be a great start to the conference and helped promote the other 47 states.  I also had the privilege to meet a few other great wine bloggers including DrinkLocalWine.com co-founder Jeff Siegel (The Wine Curmudgeon), Allan Liska (CellarBlog), Sean Sullivan (Washington Wine Report), Tammy Colson (Southern Wine Trails), and Raelinn Schmitt (Wine Ophelia).  An evening to remember…

Click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!

The second annual DrinkLocalWine.com conference has come and gone, but the friendships formed are here to stay.  Held in picturesque Loudoun County, Virginia, the 2-day conference included a reception/winemaker dinner on Saturday night (invitation only) followed by Sunday’s activities which included a series of panel discussions and the popular Twitter Taste-off featuring some of the best pours across Virginia and Maryland.  The brainchild of Dave McIntyre (Washington Post) and Jeff Siegel (Wine Curmudgeon), the conference proved to be a big hit and helped to spotlight the wines and people that have helped put Virginia on the global wine map.

Conference aside, the real treat for me was meeting the people and hearing the stories behind some of the best regional blogs and wineries. Over the next few days I’ll recap the conference, along with the stories and wines that have firmly cemented Virginia’s status as a premier wine growing region in the United States.

Virginia Wine Mafia (Photo courtesy of Dezel Quillen)

The dedicated and passionate group of wine writers led by Dezel Quillen (My Vine Spot), Lenn Thompson (New York Cork Report), Frank Morgan (Drink What You Like), John Witherspoon (Anything Wine), and last but certainly not least Paul Armstrong and Warren Richard (Virginia Wine Time) or otherwise known as the Virginia Wine Mafia are helping to fill the void of local wine coverage so often neglected by mainstream media.  A great group of guys and quoting Lenn Thompson during the social media panel, “the Virginia wine industry is lucky to have them”.  I second that!

Of course, any trip to Virginia isn’t a trip without jumping on the wine trail.  Stay tuned for more on the conference, the wines, and wineries that represent the heart and soul of Virginia wine.  Cheers!

Click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!

“The Virginia Wine Board is pleased to sponsor the second annual Drink Local Wine Conference,” says Rock Stephens, the wine board chairman. “In 1979, Virginia had only six wineries and today we have well over 150. From the Shenandoah to Jefferson’s Monticello to George Washington’s birthplace to Virginia’s Eastern Shore, we are proud of the diversity and quality of wines produced in Virginia and look forward to providing attendees the opportunity to experience, as well as, sample some of our outstanding vintages.”

The conference is a great opportunity to showcase the wineries, winemakers, and people helping to put Virginia wine on the global wine map.  I’m hearing a rumor a few Maryland wines will also be on display.  Yours truly, TheOther46.com has already made travel plans!  For more information or to register for the conference call (978) 276-9463 or send an email.

I recently received a Petit Verdot from Canyon Wind Cellars (see my earlier review).  I raved about the quality of their wines, and as expected, the 2007 Petit Verdot didn’t disappoint.  In fact, it was so good, I didn’t write a single note.  I just wanted to relax and enjoy this Colorado gem.  A balanced, focused, and rich wine that is a must buy ($24.95) for my fellow PV lovers!  Cheers!

Click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!

I’m usually traveling for Thanksgiving visiting family and of course, local wineries.  But this year, I decided to avoid the hustle and bustle of airports and enjoy a quiet dinner at home in Central Florida.  Cruising the wine aisles at Whole Foods the day before, I had two requirements for my Thanksgiving wine, 1.) a sparkling wine 2.) and preferably a bottle from the other 46 states.  Much to my delight, I stumbled upon two bottles that met both requirements!  The first, a Blanc de Blanc from Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard in Charlottesville, Virginia (see my earlier review), followed by a Brut from Gruet Winery, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Satisfied, I left with both bottles.

After much debate, I decided to open the Kluge 2004 SP Blanc de Blanc with dinner.  The methode Champenoise sparkling wine is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes and retails for $28.  The medium-bodied wine proved to be the perfect accompaniment alongside the traditional Thanksgiving dinner including turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and of course, cranberry sauce.  For dessert, I popped the cork on the Gruet Non-Vintage Brut.  Retailing for $19.99 ($13.75 on the website), the full-bodied sparkling wine proved to be a great match with apple pie.  Boasting toasty, apple flavors on the palate, the Gruet is a great choice for special occasions!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  Take a break from all of the shopping this weekend and check back for my wrap up of Colorado wine country with a visit to Allis Ranch and Dithyramb Wineries.  Cheers!

Click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!

Anyone who knows me well knows I love music and wine.  So what could be better than spending a fall afternoon at one of your favorite musicians winery and enjoying great wine!  Both came to fruition at Blenheim Vineyards.  For those who don’t know, Blenheim Vineyards was established in 2000 by owner Dave Matthews and is located just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia.  An environmentally-friendly building, the winery was designed by Dave Matthews (along with William Johnson).  Blenheim has two vineyard sites growing European varieties including Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Viognier, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Blenheim Vineyards

The tasting included eight wines and a beautiful view of neighboring Kluge Estates vines for $5.  From top to bottom, I enjoyed all of the offerings.  Anyone looking for value (who isn’t these days), Blenheim offers a 2008 Chardonnay for $15 and a 2005 Meritage at an unheard price of $10.  Both deliver solid value and would be great house wines.  The 2008 Viognier was my white of the day and retails for a very fair $19.  For the reds, I enjoyed the 2008 Seven Oaks Merlot and Blenheim Farm Cabernet Franc, $18 and $22 respectively.

If your a fan of Dave Matthews, and more importantly great wine, I recommend jumping on the Monticello Wine Trail and paying Blenheim Vineyards a visit.  Be sure to tell them TheOther46.com sent you.  Cheers!

What do you get when you put forty plus wines together on a one page tasting sheet?  Overwhelmed!  My third stop along the Monticello Wine Trail was Horton Vineyards, located in Orange County, Virginia.  Visitors are greeted by a castle-like winery and rows of manicured vines.  Owner and winemaker Dennis Horton, dubbed the “Lone Rhone Ranger of the East”, is credited for planting and producing the first commercial Viognier in Virginia.

Horton Vineyards

I have enjoyed Horton’s Viognier on several occasions (see my earlier post), and was excited to sample a few of their other offerings.  Up first was the 2008 Vidal Blanc.  Retailing for $10, the semi-dry white was crisp and refreshing.  Of course, I couldn’t leave without tasting the newest vintage of Viognier, and was excellent as always.  Before moving to the reds, I enjoyed a 20th Anniversary Roussanne Reserve and Sparkling Viognier, $20 and $25 respectively.

By now, the tasting room was filling up quickly, so I decided to limit my tasting to three reds, the 2005 Norton, the 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc, and the 2008 Malbec.  The Norton, which Horton was the first in Virginia to produce since Prohibition, underwhelmed.  If it hadn’t been so busy, I would have requested a second pour from a new bottle.  The Cab Franc and Merlot were enjoyable and represented good value at $20 and $15.

In summary, I recommend visitors spend the day at Horton and remember to rent a tour guide to help navigate the tasting sheet.  Cheers!

Click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!

Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard

Tucked into Carter’s Mountain on the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville, Virginia, Kluge is a gem of a winery.  The tasting room is housed in a craftsman style bungalow, surrounded by picturesque trees and landscape, making it the perfect spot to spend a fall afternoon.  Founded by Patricia Kluge and established in 1999, the wineries 2,000-acres are just miles from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

Kluge Flight

Kluge offers two tastings, the Albemarle ($10) and the Kluge ($12) flight. I opted for the latter, which consisted of 6 wines (3 sparklings, 2 reds, and 1 cocktail).  Up first was the ’05 Blanc de Blanc, retail $28.  A brut produced from 100% Chardonnay in the Méthode Champenoise tradition, the sparkling wine exhibited beautiful apple, pear, toast, and vanilla on the nose and palate.  Up next and also my favorite of the sparklings included the ’05 Blanc de Noir.  Produced from 100% Pinot Noir, the sparkling wine retails for $45.  The last of the sparkling wines included the ’05 Reserve, and once more, was focused and complex.

Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard Tasting Room

Up next were the 2 reds; the Kluge Estate New World Red ’02 and ’04 vintage, both classic blends of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.  Retailing for $30 and $21 respectively, both vintages exhibited great fruit and complexity.  Last and certainly not least, was the Cru Royal.  A delicious cocktail of the Blanc de Blanc and Cru Aperitif, garnished with a zest of orange!

Get out and enjoy the fall weather and enjoy a taste of Kluge Estate and be sure to tell them TheOther46.com sent you. Cheers!

Click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!